Philippine passport holders normally need to obtain a tourist visa at the Chinese Embassy in Manila if you will travel around mainland China. Filipinos can also go to Guilin and Hainan provinces visa-free provided that you are part of a group tour arranged by an accredited travel agency in China.

Some Filipinos found out that they cannot longer get a VOA for Shenzhen. Just to clarify, you can only get VOA to Shenzhen if you have been issued a Chinese Tourist Visa before. Accredited travel agents can also help you get a VOA provided that you are part of a group tour to Shenzhen.

The VOA offices in these borders are not open 24/7. You don’t have to bring any documents except your passport with expired Chinese Visa sticker on it. You will have to fill out a form and somebody will take a photo of you. Your visa will be issued in less than 30 minutes. Pay the visa processing fee of RMB 168 (PHP 1,200.00), same cost when you get a Chinese Tourist Visa in Manila.

Note: There are cases that the immigration officer asks a confirmed flight ticket out of China or Hong Kong.

Crossing Hong Kong – China Mainland Border

This process will take longer as usual because thousands of people cross these borders every day but there is an assigned lane for foreign passport holders which requires you to fill out the arrival card, have a photo, answers some questions and eventually stamp your passport.

The immigration complex can accommodate a high number of immigrants thus it’s huge size so expect a long walk to reach Shenzhen. There is a subway that connects the border to the city center and the Shenzhen Central Railway Station if you’re planning to travel outside Shenzhen.

I booked a First Class High Speed bullet train from Shenzhen to Changsha in Yunnan Province.

About Author

Mark is a digital marketing consultant currently living in Vietnam. He is a passionate traveler and realizes many lessons after the trip. He traveled to 23 countries and counting and loved to share his travel experiences.